The Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries (FCAB) released the Pre-application Battery Test Manual, which defines a series of tests to characterize performance and life behavior for advanced batteries. The manual is based on broad technical needs across multiple applications and was developed to provide federal sponsors and battery end users more common sets of data for pre-application purposes.

In developing this manual, multiple federal agencies worked in unison in support of the emerging domestic battery ecosystem.

The protocols defined in the manual aim to facilitate and accelerate technology transfer of key concepts related to cell design, materials development and innovations in other areas related to advanced batteries. The manual is not meant to serve as a replacement for existing application specific manuals such as those developed for the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) or for other government purposes such as Military Specifications.

These testing protocols are not intended to determine the commercial viability of any technology that is being tested. Instead, the manual provides a set of basic, minimum pre-application tests for pre-commercial and commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) cells for developers interested in coordinating efforts with the United States Government or as part of contract deliverables.

The tests are designed to provide basic information that could be used to construct a spider diagram including energy, power, life and thermal performance.

The FCAB brings together federal agencies that have a stake in establishing a domestic supply of lithium batteries to accelerate the development of a robust and secure domestic industrial base. It is led by the Department of Energy and the Departments of Defense, Commerce, and State.

In June, FCAB released the National Blueprint For Lithium Batteries 2021–2030 (earlier post), which lays out a holistic approach to accelerate the development of a robust, secure, and healthy domestic research and industrial base for lithium-based batteries.